CRS Seminar: New Pathways, Old Challenges? Navigating Labour Mobility for Skilled Refugees

March 12, 2026

3:00 - 4:30pm

This is a virtual event

Zoom: https://yorku.zoom.us/meeting/register/9NRkyG3WRlaGvVB_5zXSAA

This panel brings together scholars and practitioners to critically examine the burgeoning landscape of labour mobility pathways for refugees and displaced people. With the rise of initiatives like Canada's Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), these programs are increasingly framed as "triple-win" solutions that benefit refugees, host countries, and employers. Our diverse panel will move beyond the celebratory narrative to provide a comprehensive analysis of these programs, from their historical origins and global efficacy to the on-the-ground experiences of refugees and the perspectives of employers. The discussion will cover empirical findings from Australia, a global overview of the program, its genesis and debates in its current implementation, and a gendered analysis of the experiences of women skilled refugees in Canada. This 90-minute session will provide a nuanced and multi-scalar understanding of how these pathways are shaping the future of refugee protection.

Presentations and Presenters

1. The Genesis and Current Implementation of Labour Mobility Pathways (15 minutes)

• Presenter: Jeff Crisp (Oxford University)
• Summary: A leading expert in forced migration, Jeff Crisp, will provide an overview of the origins of labour mobility pathways. He will discuss the major debates surrounding their efficacy and explore how these programs have evolved from fringe concepts into a central pillar of complementary pathways for refugees.

2. The Global State of Play: Trends and Innovations in Labour Mobility (15 minutes)

• Presenter: Sarah Wilder (Talent Beyond Boundaries)
• Summary: Representing a pioneering organization in the field, Sarah Wilder will discuss the current global landscape of labour mobility. Her presentation will provide an insider's view on the practical implementation of these pathways, highlighting key successes, persistent barriers, and emerging trends from a practitioner's perspective.

3. Exploring place-based dynamics with skilled refugee labour mobility: Reflections from regional and rural Australia (15 minutes)

• Presenters: Dr. Sally Baker and Dr. Louise Oliff (UNSW, Australia)
• Summary: Drawing on empirical research with employers, local community stakeholders and refugees in regional and rural areas across Australia, the team will present key findings on the perspectives and experiences of refugees resettling through Australia’s Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot (SRLAP). Their presentation will focus on the practical challenges and opportunities of opening up access to employer-sponsored skilled visas for refugees in the context of significant labour shortages and change in regional Australia.

4. From Displaced Person to Skilled Worker: Gendered Experiences of Labour Mobility for Refugee Women in Canada (15 minutes)

• Presenter: Gemechu Abeshu (York University)
• Summary: Based on his research on the EMPP in Canada, Gemechu Abeshu will present the unique and often overlooked experiences of women skilled refugees. He will explore how intersecting identities shape their journeys, from pre-arrival aspirations to their resettlement and integration into the Canadian labour market.

Bios:

Dr. Louise Olliff is a senior research associate at the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at the University of New South Wales. She works part-time on an Australian Research Council-funded project exploring skilled migration as a complementary pathway for refugees in regional Australia. Louise also works as a senior policy advisor for the Refugee Council of Australia, where she has been employed since 2009 and currently leads the Council’s work on resettlement and complementary pathways. Louise holds a PhD in Anthropology and Development Studies from the University of Melbourne and a Masters in Collaborative International Development Studies and Anthropology from the University of Guelph. She is the author of 'Helping Familiar Strangers: Refugee Diaspora Organizations and Humanitarianism' (IUP, 2022).

Dr. Gemechu Abeshu is a scholar specializing in diaspora, refugee, and migration studies, with a particular focus on the African Diaspora, forced displacement, refugee integration in Canada and the Horn of Africa. He is currently a Research Fellow at McMaster University and an Affiliate Researcher at the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University. Dr. Abeshu holds a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, and an M.A. in Governance and Development Studies from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. His research has consistently advanced knowledge at the intersection of migration, governance, and transnational mobility. Most recently, he was awarded a SSHRC grant to support his ongoing work on the experiences of refugees arriving in Canada through labour mobility pathways. This project expands his broader research agenda on innovative forms of protection and integration for displaced populations.